Cyprus PIO: Turkish Press and Other Media, 03-02-12

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From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/>

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Mehmet Ali Birnad: The end is nearing with regard to a solution in Cyprus.

[02] Mr Denktas thinks the Greek Cypriots are not aware of the Turkish expansionist designs on Cyprus.

[03] The new Motherland Party chairman Ali Talip Ozdemir is to visit the occupied area.

[04] The True Path Party leader Mehmet Agar critical of Justice and Development Party.

[05] Turkey hands off Cyprus!

[06] YENIDUZEN publishes a public opinion poll conducted in occupied Morphou area.

[07] The Ankara Chamber of Commerce carries out a poll; 81,4 percent support Denktas' handling of the Cyprus problem.

[08] Unemployment up by 25% in the occupied area.

[09] The countdown clock of the Common Vision Committee, has been attacked by stones.

[A] NEWS ITEMS

[01] Mehmet Ali Birnad: The end is nearing with regard to a solution in Cyprus

The UN deadline for a solution in Cyprus is only days away. It now appears difficult for Denktas and Clerides to reach an agreement by 28 February. Annan is preparing to become personally involved in the efforts for the solution of the problem. The Secretary-General will submit a third plan to the sides. He will personally present this plan for discussion. Annan will arrive in Ankara on 24 February equipped with the new plan. After hearing Ankara's stand, he will proceed to Athens. If he sees any hope of conciliation between the two sides, Annan will go to Nicosia and try to bring Denktas and Clerides together. If he receives a positive attitude from the Cypriot leaders as well, Annan will grant the sides an additional period of one week after 28 February. Sources close to the Secretary-General note, however, that the new negotiation process will not extend to 16 April, when Cyprus is slated to sign the accession agreement with the EU. In this context, Annan's tour for a Cyprus solution, which is scheduled to begin on 24 February, is viewed as the final initiative.

Prior to this critical visit by Annan, Ankara is in close contact with Washington. An equation appears to have been set up between the Iraq negotiations and the Cyprus file. Ankara has conveyed to Washington the question of meeting the US demands pertaining to the Iraq operation and the expectations for support on Cyprus. The US Administration is supportive of this Turkish demand on condition that flexibility is displayed with regard to the territorial and sovereignty issues in Cyprus. According to reports, these negotiations, which are being conducted on a bureaucratic level, will be transported to a higher level soon. Yakis and Babacan are expected to leave for Washington on 13 or 14 February. During the Washington contacts of the two ministers, both the Iraq and Cyprus files will be on the table. A balance will be sought between the US demands pertaining to the Iraq operation and the size of the economic aid package to be extended to Turkey.

[02] Mr Denktas thinks the Greek Cypriots are not aware of the Turkish expansionist designs on Cyprus

Asked if a solution can be reached by 28 February, Denktas replied that President Clerides too said that it cannot happen. Denktas pointed out that efforts are being made in the occupied areas to portray the Annan plan in a different light by talking about the EU all the time. He asserted that certain circles are saying that Denktas should sign the Annan document, but that there are some serious problems in the sections that follow the introduction.

Asked to comment on the remarks by Clerides who recently was quoted to have said: "The Cyprus problem will be solved in 2003. Both I and the EU expect Recep Tayyip Erdogan to carry out the reforms in Turkey and the changes he plans for Cyprus," Mr Denktas replied:

"He will see that he is wrong, because Mr Erdogan is also saying that the Turkish Cypriots' sovereignty is essential and that the map is unacceptable. You must have heard the statement Greek Cypriot presidential candidate Papadopoulos made the other day. He said: It is wrong to hope that there is a disagreement between Mr Erdogan and Denktas, because the former too talks about sovereignty, the unacceptability of the map, and the need for continued guarantees.

The Greek Cypriots have always lived in a dreamland. They have created an imaginary world for themselves. There is one thing they do not know and that is the Turkish nation. They do not know how the Turkish nation views Cyprus, with what excitement it views Cyprus. They hope that Turkey will lose the Cyprus cause, one of its most justified causes, due to some trivial reason. We are aware that the Turkish people will not let that happen."

[03] The new Motherland Party chairman Ali Talip Ozdemir is to visit the occupied area

He went on and said: "Because Cyprus is our national policy, it is a piece of Motherland territory 60 kilometers away from Turkey. For this reason we have very important things to say there.

[04] The True Path Party leader Mehmet Agar critical of Justice and Development Party

Agar further said that if his schedule allows he will visit the occupied area prior to 28 February and express his support to Denktas.

[05] Turkey hands off Cyprus!

The magazine, which bears the title "Antikapitalist", in its cover writes: "Cyprus belongs to the Cypriots", "Turkey, hands off Cyprus" and "Let us leave the Cypriots alone".

The magazine explains that the Turkish people are not aware of the historic facts of Cyprus and cites examples of how the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots lived and worked together for years.

On the history of Cyprus the magazine writes that in 1878 the Ottoman Empire leased Cyprus to Britain and that until 1914 Britain was collecting taxes on behalf of the Ottomans until the first world war, when it gained complete control of the island, and goes on:

"In the 1930/s and 1940/s the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots were working together and were organized under the "Transport and Ports Labourers/ Union. On 6 March 1939 at the meeting for the establishments of the "Limassol Porters/ Union" 40 Turkish Cypriots took part. Two weeks later the "Famagusta Porters/ Union" was established and Turkish Cypriots and Greeks Cypriots were represented equally in its committee.

In the period 1938-48 the Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots were waging the struggle together for eight-hour work, better working conditions, social security and better labour laws and wages.

During the strikes which followed one after the other Turkish and Greek Cypriots striked side by side against their employers and the British colonialism.

In 1948, 2000 Turkish and Greek Cypriots waged together a four-months strike from 3 January to 16 May against the American Mining company. Police opened fire against the workers on 3 and 8 March wounding many of them. Seventy six workers and their wives were sentenced to imprisonment of up to two years. Out of the 76 sentenced workers 17 were Turkish Cypriots.

The railroad workers, Armenians, Turkish and Greek Cypriots declared a strike in 1941. The committee of the strikers refused to end the strike and the colonial administration put them in jail.

The list of the jailed workers is: Ahmet Mustafa ( 1 year) Zacharias Antoniou ( 1 year), Ibrahim Mahmut ( 3 months), Georgos Spyrou ( 3 months), Ali Hassan (3 months), Toumazos Nicolaou (3 months) and Sofocles Christodoulou ( 3 months).

As a result of a joint protest by Armenians, Turkish and Greek Cypriots the imprisoned workers were released before serving all their sentences. Also all the demands of the strike were met. This railway company was closed in 1951".

The paper goes on describing how Greek and Turkish Cypriots were living together in peace and stresses that even during the referendum held in 1931 in favour of Enosis 700 Turkish Cypriots voted in favour.

Subtitle: How clashes started

After a bomb against the Information Office of the Turkish Consulate, on 12 June 1958 British security forces arrested 8 Greek Cypriots at Kondemenos village and transported them to the nearest Turkish Cypriot village Gunyeli, about 10 kilometres, and left them free. By order of TMT these Greek Cypriots were massacred by Turkish Cypriots. This was the first incident whereby blood was shed between the two communities. This massacre has been committed with the intention that the Greek Cypriots will retaliate. Behind this provocative murders there were people whom Denktas called "some of our friends". Mr Denktas admitted during statements to a British television that TMT was responsible for the bombing incident".

AFRIKA reports that it will continue publishing more articles from the magazine.

[06] YENIDUZEN publishes a public opinion poll conducted in occupied Morphou area

Asked whether or not they approve that the region they live will be given to the Greek Cypriot administration in case a solution is reached, 34. % of the 509 participants in the poll said that they do not wish this, while 59.9 % answered that they were not opposing to this if such a development would facilitate the solution of the Cyprus problem.

Asked what they would do in case of a solution, which provides for the return of the area they live under the Greek Cypriot administration, 65.6 % of the participants in the poll said that they could massively move into a region under the same economic circumstances, the same neighbours and the same business environment. 6.7 % answered that they could move into a house under the same circumstances, 2.9 % said that they would abandon the island after taking a compensation, 3.7 % said that they would remain in the same house and live under Greek Cypriot administration and the 3.1 % noted that they want to return back to the house they used to live before the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus.

The most important of the rest of the questions and answers of the poll as well as facts regarding the participants in it are the following:

Sex            Number             Percentage
Women            246                 48.3 %
Men              263                 51.7 %
Total            509                100 %
Age             Number          Percentage
18-25              80              15.7 %
26-35              95              18.7 %
36-45             103              20.2 %
46-55              91              17.9 %
56-65              77              15.1 %
66 +               63              12.4 %
Town/village          Number         Percentage
Morphou                265             52.1 %
Zodia                  119             23.4 %
Kapouti                 27              5.3 %
Argaki                  32              6.3 %
Katokopia               33              6.5 %
Filia                   18              3.5 %
Nikitas                 15              2.9 %
Place of birth         Number        Percentage
Cyprus                   480           94.3 %
Turkey                    28            5.5 %
Other                      1            0.2 %
Parents' place of birth                  Number   Percentage
Cyprus                                    469       92.1 %
Turkey                                     26        5.1 %
Mother born in Turkey and father in Cyprus  2        0.4 %
Father born in Cyprus and father in Turkey 12        2.4 %
Education                                  Number Percentage
Have not graduated from any school           33      6.5 %
Primary school graduate                     163     32 %
Gymnasium/ Lyceum graduate                  246     48.3 %
University/ post university degree holder    66     13 %
No answer                                     1      0.2 %
Are you a refugee? Where from?       Number Percentage
Nicosia                                36     7.1 %
Famagusta                               2     0.4 %
Kyrenia                                 1     0.2 %
Limassol                              176    34.6 %
Paphos                                155    30.5 %
Larnaca                                 5     1 %
Turkey                                 18     3.5 %
I am not a refugee                    112    22 %
A village of Morphou                    4     0.8 %
How well do you know the Annan plan?             Number Percentage
I have read the whole of it                         42     8.3 %
I have read a part of it                            59    11.6 %
I know what I have heard from the radio and the TV 392    77 %
I know absolutely nothing                           16     3.1 %
Do you support Cyprus' EU accession?         Number Percentage
Together with the solution                    371     72.9 %
After the solution and together with Turkey   127     25 %
I am against/It should never join the EU        9      1.8 %
No answer                                       2      0.4 %
Would you approve an agreement at a referendum?  Number    Percentage
Yes                                                466          91.6 %
No                                                  38           7.5 %
No answer                                            4           0.8 %

[07] The Ankara Chamber of Commerce carries out a poll; 81,4 percent support Denktas' handling of the Cyprus problem

According to the poll results, 81,4 percent answered "yes" to a question whether they supported Denktas in the Cyprus problem. As for the Ruling Justice and Development party's Cyprus policy, 72,9 percent expressed the view that on this issue the government's policy was not clear. 54,7 percent said that until now Turkey did not extend enough economic and political support to Cyprus. The percentage of those who said that they have enough information regarding the Annan plan was 51 percent. As for the settlement of the Cyprus problem, 47,3 percent opted for a solution within the framework of Turkey's EU membership and said that until that date the Cyprus problem should be suspended.

[08] Unemployment up by 25% in the occupied area

As the paper writes, according to the monthly report of the so-called Department of Labour, in December 2002 the number of the unemployed persons was raised up to 1692, compared to 1349 in December 2001, an increase of 25%. Among these persons, 1210 are men and 697 are young persons between the ages of 20-29.

Moreover, as the paper writes, between January 2002 and December 2002, 561 places of employment have been closed down. The paper also states that among the 6104 persons that applied for job in the private and "public" sector in 2002, only 909 were employed.

The paper holds responsible for the high numbers of unemployment, the economic depression that both Turkey and the pseudostate have been faced during the last two years.

[09] The countdown clock of the Common Vision Committee, has been attacked by stones

The clock has been placed on the 25th of January in a rally for Cyprus solution and EU determination, organized by several Turkish Cypriot civilian organizations, the Common Vision Action Committee, and the Association of Culture and Art.

The pseudopolice started searches regarding the matter.

/SK

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